Page 29 of Marked by the Demigod

"I'll talk to the manager, see about getting the tapes." He flips his pad closed, nods formally at Aimes and Trixie. "Someone will follow up in 2-5 days from the department."

It's surreal how fast he packs up and gets the hell out of the back office, leaving Aimes and Trixie alone with Katya.

Katya briefly makes eye contact with Aimes, before Trixie bursts out. "Who the hell are you?"

Katya drags over a chair, sits professionally across from them. "Hello, my name is Katya, I've been assigned onto the man's case for a while," she says, smooth, as if she has never met Aimes before. "Can you tell me exactly what he said?"

Trixie sits up straighter, taking the lead and for once, Aimes is just grateful instead of annoyed. "He asked what she did, then he asked me if I knew who she was and then--" she mimes the punch. "Aimes tried to say it was a misunderstanding, but he got angry."

Katya locks eyes with Aimes. "Do you need more medical help?" It's such a jolt to be talked to directly that she barely stops herself from flinching.

"Uh, no, but I'll need a new shirt before going back to work."

Trixie buries her face in her hands. "Oh my god Aimes you're not going back to work," she says, her voice sounding closer to hysterical than Aimes feels. "You were just punched at a bar, you can't go to the library oh my god."

"I agree, it'd be better if you go home and rest. I can have the officer call your place of employment and explain." Katya smiles, kind and practiced, at Trixie. "I do need to talk to Amelie alone, I apologize for the inconvenience."

Trixie nods, her brows furrowing, before scowling. "Are you okay with that?" She asks Aimes, not even bothering to whisper.

Aimes nods, dazed. "It's not my first time being punched, remember?"

The corners of her eyes crinkle after a moment. "Kiddie karate doesn't count." But she stands, grips Aimes shoulder, and then walks out, the uniformed officer conferring with her in low tones.

Katya and Aimes stare at each other for a few seconds, then Katya expels a breath, explosive. "He's a dryad, he's on a watchlist of violent people. My agency gets notified if he makes any sudden movements." She peers at Aimes's split lip. "He just...flat out punched you?"

Aimes glances at the now-bloody napkin she's holding at her lip and nose. "Like a movie."

"You don't need any more health care?"

"Nurse says it's not broken, just a bloody nose and a split lip." Her mouth tingles, like it's going numb. Or, rather, losing feeling. "Um. He...he had been staring."

"I bet he was, he doesn't like humans getting involved." Katya sits back.

"So that's why he punched me when I said your name?" Aimes can feel her lip fattening, flubbing some of the words.

She raises an eyebrow, perfectly put together, and Aimes just wants to curl in on herself. "That was probably a good instinct on your part, don't worry, just...perfect storm."

"Yeah I gathered." Aimes picks at her shirt. The blood sticks to her skin, plastering the blouse to her.

Katya watches. "We should get you in self defense classes," she says slowly. "If...if your husband isn't going to show up when you're attacked, you should learn how to take care of yourself."

The hair on the back of her neck raises, like it always does when the word husband gets brought up. "Was he supposed to? Show up?"

"With the bond, he would know you were in danger before you did. And with you hurt...he'd know immediately, and all his instincts would be to come and find you." She nods, and hands Aimes a new set of napkins for her nose. Thank god, the blood is slowing.

Aimes tilts her head back, trying not to sniffle through the blood. "Great."

* * *

The nurse sendsher home for the day with the instructions to take over the counter pain meds and to take it easy. So she curls up with her laptop and a pint of Ben and Jerry's, cause the cold feels really good on her lip.

Katya's receptionist sends her a list of self defense classes, all looking like they're designed for not normal people who want to figure out how to not get hurt while still blending in like people with zero powers. Which...which is bullshit.

She flips through the packet Katya gives her, and finds dryads. Basically, slow moving creatures that need to be close to their trees, and are predestined to have anger problems. Great.

Her phone buzzes.

DAVE (4:42 PM ): I hear you got attacked?

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